Two New Jersey lawmakers said Tuesday they successfully lobbied to include an erosion study in a water infrastructure bill, the final version of which was recently negotiated by the House and Senate.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, worked with U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th, to get the New Jersey study included in the Water Resources Development Act, the two said in news releases.
“The Hot Spot Erosion Mitigation Study is a promise to safeguard our coastal way of life and the natural beauty that defines our beloved South Jersey,†Van Drew said in a statement. “We must take a novel approach to protect our coastline from the harmful effects of coastal erosion.â€
Last week, Congress came to an agreement on the the final version of the Water Resources Development Act, after negotiations to reconcile House- and Senate-passed versions.
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Hot spot erosion is accelerated sediment loss that leaves specific areas of beaches, dunes and nearby properties exposed to storm surges and flooding, the two legislators said. It happens when geography and currents focus wave action and energy on a narrow part of a beach.
Often located at the north ends of barrier islands, erosion hot spots are usually near coastal tidal inlets, said Kim McKenna, interim executive director of the Coastal Research Center at Stockton University.
In May, she described South Jersey beaches as generally in good shape for the summer, other than at such spots that needed to be addressed.
In Atlantic City, there were 8- to 10-foot sand cliffs running from Ocean Casino Resort to Resorts Casino Hotel at the north end of Absecon Island earlier this year.
Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey and of Resorts, said at the time that emergency replenishment was needed, but it did not happen in time for summer.
Work is underway now on a project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to widen beaches in Atlantic City and some neighboring shore towns. It will place 1.2 million cubic yards of sand on the shoreline — enough to fill as many as 120,000 dump trucks.
Sand cliffs can cause serious injuries.
Former Gov. Jim McGreevey broke his femur in July 2004 in a fall off a 4-foot sand ledge in Cape May.
In North Wildwood, erosion virtually eliminated beaches in places in recent years, and the city spent millions to do its own beach replenishment, only to be fined by the state for breaking the law.
North Wildwood City Council voted early this month to settle litigation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The state will cancel $12 million in fines, and the city will drop its lawsuit seeking state reimbursement for the $30 million it had spent to do its own beach repair.
The Water Resources Development Act is passed every two years and authorizes essential water infrastructure projects nationwide, Van Drew and Pallone said.
On March 1, the two lawmakers wrote a letter to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment calling for urgent action to address Jersey Shore hot spot erosion, they said.
The study directs the Army Corps to identify the most erosion-prone areas, assess the impact on existing federal shore protection projects and propose tailored solutions.
“Hot spot erosion isn’t just about losing sand — it’s about losing the first line of defense for New Jersey families and businesses against storms and flooding,†Pallone said.
Pallone is the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“The Jersey Shore generates over $50 billion in annual economic activity and supports tens of thousands of jobs. This study will help pinpoint problem areas and develop solutions to protect our coastline, preserve our economy, and ensure the safety of our coastal communities,†he said.
Options to lessen hot spot erosion may include building physical structures such as seawalls, groins or breakwaters, or adjustments to beach replenishment schedules, the lawmakers said.
New Jersey has more than 100 miles of coastline, which supports $100 billion in property and tens of thousands of jobs.
Van Drew, one of three Republicans in the 12-member New Jersey House delegation, said he was proud to work in a bipartisan manner alongside Pallone.
